Joe Grant's Blog

To Wiki or Not to Wiki

Check out the latest issue of ASAE's Association Now magazine (pg. 20) for an article by Ben Martin and myself on the pluses and minuses of associations posting content to Wikipedia. The article is based on a blog discussion Ben and I had awhile back.  Ben did a great job outlining the things that must be considered before jumping into Wikipedia. I hope the article is helpful to those who are considering Wikipedia in their communication strategy.

Are You Solving Member Problems?

This is one of the most important questions your association should be asking!

Unfortunately, many associations skip this step and jump right into designing / engineering mode. What bells and whistles will the product or service have? What fonts, color and layout will we use? How much will the product or service cost?

All of these questions are irrelevant if you don't understand the member problems your association should be trying to solve.

The following strategies and questions will help you define the problems your members are experiencing. Your next step is to develop strategies that will solve those problems.

Call Tracking: Have staff track incoming calls for a 1-2 week period each quarter. For this to work, management and staff need to commit to the data collection process. This exercise can help answer some important questions.

• Why are members calling the association?
• Are staff answering the same questions over and over? Can this information be placed in an easy to find section of the association's website?
• What questions cannot be answered by staff? Why?
• Are staff referring members to other sources? Why?
• Do staff need additional training or resources?
• What are some of the most frequent complaints? How many other members feel the same way, but aren't taking the time to voice their opinion? How many instead chose not to renew their membership?
• Do member questions change with the time of year or season?
• Are members complaining about other industry sources? Could this be an opportunity for your association to bridge the gap or answer an unmet need?

Front Line: The staff who serve on your association's front line are some of the most important people within your organization. Day in and day out, they interact with members. They hear the good, the bad and the ugly. Tapping into their knowledge and experience can help answer some important questions.

• What themes or problems keep popping up?
• Where is the association failing? What can be done to fix these areas?
• What is the association doing right? How can the association build on these strengths?
• What challenges get in the way of serving members?
• Are the right people on the front line?
• How many times are staff saying "I'm sorry we don't offer that as a member benefit" and what is the "that" they're referring to? What opportunities are knocking or maybe even pounding at your association's door that are not being answered?

Member Interviews: Every conversation you have with a member is an opportunity to learn more about the problems and challenges they face in their profession or business. What can the association be doing better to address those member problems or challenges? Listen carefully for hidden opportunities.

Member Surveys: Surveys should go beyond simply validating how wonderful your association is today. They should also help your association become something better. Surveys can help answer some of the following questions.

• What are the challenges or stresses members experience in their profession or business? How can the association relieve or eliminate those challenges or stresses?
• What unnecessary hoops are members required to jump through? How can the association remove some of those hoops?
• How do members define an amazing experience? What are you doing to exceed their expectations?
• How would members finish the statement "If only my association could..."? Where is the association falling short?
• Has the association been allocating scarce resources to things that are not important to members? Can resources be reallocated to more important areas -- areas that solve member problems?

Blogs, Listserves, Bulletin Boards and Industry Articles: Visit the places your members visit. Read what they read. Listen to what they're listening to. Find out what's being said about the industry or the association. What pains or aggravations are members writing about in their blogs, listserves or bulletin boards? Do not ignore these conversations. Look for the hidden opportunities to solve member problems.

Are you having difficulties recruiting and retaining members? Are you trying to figure out why members are not using the association's products and services?

Could it be that you're no longer solving member problems?

AMS RFPs & Selection What Associations Should Be Doing?

Okay to keep things fair and balanced, let's talk about the association's role in selecting the best software package. Here is how I categorize associations that participate in the AMS selection process.

• 360s - These are the associations who take a 360 degree approach to the selection process. They commit the resources necessary to discover their user's needs, develop a thorough RFP, invite a large group of vendors to participate, carefully analyze the responses both quantitatively and qualitatively and select the AMS system that's right for their association. They are open minded to the options that exist in the market and are willing to give every compatible AMS a fair shake at earning the association's business.
• Window Shoppers - These are the associations who aren't really in the market for an AMS package. They're just dabbling. The problem with this group is that they often give the AMS vendor the wrong impression on their readiness, make them jump through hoops, and never take action. Then when the association means business, they've cried wolf so many times, vendors avoid them like the plague.
• Validators - These are the associations who have made up their minds on what vendor they will choose. They're only involved with the RFP process because someone on the board is dragging them into it or they want to compare price tags. The problem with these folks is they probably haven't considered other options and will do everything they can to fight the due diligence process. In fact, no matter what data or facts you put in front of them, they will always find a reason to support their earlier decision. The AMS vendor's time is valuable so if are not planning on having an open mind to explore other options, don't ask the vendors to participate.

The following are some tips and questions to help associations in their search for an AMS package. Incorporate these practices into your selection processes and your chances of success will increase dramatically.

• Drop all preconceived notions and be open minded. Often times we make sweeping generalizations about products based on a few anecdotal stories we hear from AMS users. There are too many variables involved that could have affected their individual experience to make such generalizations. Don't take the easy route, find out for yourself if they are a good fit.
• If you're looking for a price check, send out a request for quote. RFQ's are less rigorous and by providing some basic association facts, the vendor should be able to give you a budget range based on past experiences with similar size associations. If their lowest cost option significantly exceeds your budget constraint, even after considering room for negotiation, don't ask them to participate.
• Assign an internal project manager and begin gathering data for the scope document and RFP. Avoid cramming this critical project on an overloaded staff member, unless you plan on removing something from their plate. It's not fair for the staff member and it will adversely affect the outcome of the project. If you're unable to dedicate a staff person who has project management experience, consider hiring a qualified project manager (not affiliated with the AMS) who can stay focused on the project, schedule and budget.
• Form a cross-functional team / task force of individuals from all departments. This will help create buy in and ensure that all voices are heard.
• Spend time gathering data from the team and clearly articulate the problem(s) they are facing.
• Once you have gathered the raw data, write the RFP. Structure your RFP (or at least portions of it) using a matrix (table) format, this will allow for easy side by side comparisons of the different proposals. The RFP should help educate the AMS provider about your needs and serve as a guideline for creating a quality proposal.
• It's worth repeating...make sure you articulate the problem(s) you're trying to solve in the RFP. If vendors can't understand the problem(s), how can they possibly propose a solution.
• Send the RFP to all compatible vendors and give them a chance to participate. What do I mean by compatible? if you don't have the budget or resources to host your own AMS, don't ask vendors who only offer this type of AMS to participate.
• If a vendor calls to learn more about your needs (and they should), take time to talk with them. Make a note that they called.
• Take note of the we're so wonderfuls , brochurposals , and whiners.
• When you begin receiving the proposals, objectively analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each AMS product.
• Rate the quality of each proposal. Has the vendor demonstrated an understanding of the problems you are experiencing? Have they articulated a solution to that problem?
• Is the vendor interested in selling a product or building a long term relationship with your association?
• Analyze the proposals from a quantitative and qualitative perspective.
• View your relationship with the vendors as a budding partnership. That means living up to the golden rule - treat them as you would want to be treated, with respect and common courtesy.
• Time is valuable, so pick the top 2-3 finalists and schedule demos. If you're not happy with their presentations, you can always schedule more demos with the other vendors.
• Before demo day, create a list of use cases (scenarios) you would like demonstrated in the AMS demo. Send the scenarios to the vendors ahead of time so they have time to prepare.
• Create a post demo questionnaire to capture participant's immediate thoughts and reactions.
• Make sure AMS users have more weight in the final decision, than non AMS users. Volunteers may have good intentions, but at the end of the day, they probably won't be using the system on a day to day basis. If an individual or group of individuals select the AMS package for the staff, and the staff are not in agreement, the project will fail. Again, the right people need to be involved from the beginning of the project.
• Check references. Develop a standard list of questions to guide this process. Learn more about the implementation process, did vendors communicate effectively, was the project completed on time and within budget, were there any surprises throughout the project? Get past the superficial questions and dig a little deeper.
• After you have considered all factors using the 360 approach, select the best AMS and move forward to the next phase - contract / price negotiations.
• At the end of the selection process, THANK ALL THE VENDORS for participating and helping the association with their due diligence process. They have spent a significant amount of time and energy trying to earn your business, the least you can do is say thank you. If a particular vendor stands out as exceptional but was not the right fit for your association, be sure to refer that vendor to colleagues in search of a new AMS package.

Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, but these are the basics. Remember, this is a big investment and your staff will be forced to live with the outcome for a very long time, choose wisely! :-)

Joe Grant's Recent Comments on Other Blogs

I just wanted to point out that I have added a new page under my links and resources section - Joe Grant's Recent Comments On Other Blogs.

I like to read many different blogs and from time to time feel the urge to make comments. I thought it would be neat idea to keep track of them here on my blog.

At the end of every comment, I always include a link back to the original bloggers page for the referenced post.

As my buddy Ben Martin taught me...a little link love goes along way! Enjoy!

Responding to RFPs What AMS Vendors Should Be Doing!

Every time I consult with an association to help them strategically select the right AMS (association management software) solution, I am amazed at the diversity and mediocrity of vendor responses.

Here is how I like to categorize the various groups:

• Relationship Builders - These are the cream of the crop vendors.  They want the association's business and understand what it takes to make it happen. They invest the time and energy required to earn the business. They clearly demonstrate how their software will solve the association's problems.


• We're So Wonderfuls - These are the self proclaimed cream of the crop. They believe they're so wonderful that the association should just bypass all due diligence and buy their software. These are the companies who "don't respond" to RFPs. (buyers beware)


• Brochurposals - These companies ignore the RFP requests and instead send a proposal that reads more like a brochure. If prospects want this kind of information, they can visit your website. The proposal shouldn't be an advertorial about your product's bells and whistles, it should be a way for you to communicate how your company will solve the association's specific problems.


• Whiners - "Not enough time...", "too much information..." and the list goes on and on. Don't waste time and energy whining, instead funnel this energy into creating a high quality proposal that wins the business. If you don't want the business, save face and decline.

The following are some tips for AMS vendors as they reply to RFPs. Incorporate these ideas into your business processes and your proposals will rise to the top of the pile.

• Read through the entire RFP. Understand the problems the association is currently facing and learn why they're on the hunt for a new software product.


• Make sure you understand the association's expectations and required deliverables. If they provided a checklist, use it as guideline when writing the proposal. If not, make your own checklist of all the items that must be addressed in the proposal so you don't forget something.


• Always, Always, Always pick up the phone and call the RFP contact person. It adds a personal touch and shows that you are more than an assembly line churning out proposals. Ask many different questions about the problems the association is experiencing. Learn more about the association needs. Learn more about the personalities on the review team. Knowledge is power.


• Don't whine. Doing so immediately casts a negative shadow on your company. Be a professional, step up to the plate and get the job done. If you feel the urge to whine, then you probably don't want the business.


• Make the investment and create a high quality proposal. AMS companies spend tens of thousands of dollars on print ads that most people will ignore, but when they have a hungry client standing in front of them with checkbook in hand, they balk at the time and financial investment required to write a quality proposal. Where's the logic? 


• Don't submit a product brochure in place of a proposal. The body of your proposal should tell a story about the association's problems and how your company will solve those problems.


• Drop the technical jargon and speak like a human being. Technospeak is fine when you're chatting with a colleague at lunch but can become a communication barrier when speaking to the average association executive. Speak their language. If the buyer understands what you're saying your proposal will rise to the top of the pile. If they need a decoder, the power of you story is diminished.


• With the ever growing number of AMS providers, you need to stop peddling commodities and focus on building relationships and solving problems.


• Use spell check before sending the proposal. With the technology we have available today, there's no excuse for blatant and multiple misspelled words. When this happens, the professionalism and credibility of your company is severely diminished.


• Have someone proofread the proposal for grammatical errors or "cut an pastes" gone bad.


• It's okay to create a shell for your proposals, but make sure you personalize every proposal by weaving in the association's story. The find and replace proposals are easy to spot. They're cold and boring.


• If you've written an article or white paper on a topic that is relevant to the association's problem, include it as an attachment or proposal. This will boost your credibility.


• Make sure your website works. This is especially true for web solution providers. I have visited websites for AMS companies who offer web solutions and there web pages are littered with errors and broken links. Actions speak louder than words.


• Deliver the proposal before the due date. You will definitely stand out.


• After you send the proposal, follow up with a telephone courtesy call to verify that it has been received. You never know when a good email has been sent to the spam folder. Meanwhile the association exec thinks you've missed the deadline. Here is another opportunity to make an positive impression on the RFP contact.

I assure you that if you follow the above points, you will stand out in the sea of mediocrity!

Association executives - as you prepare to make that huge investment in a new AMS software product (time, energy, learning curve, opportunity costs, etc.), don't settle for mediocrity. Do your homework and select a vendor who is in the relationship business.

Customizing your Google Homepage

I use Google everyday, multiple times a day. I'm what you might call a Google-aholic. While I've always enjoyed their simple and clean layout, I recently discovered iGoogle.  One single place to store all my personal favorites. Here's what I currently have on my iGoogle:

Utility Gadgets

• Clock and Calendar
• Local weather
• Google Reader - with feeds from all my favorite bloggers
• My Gmail - Google's email
• How to of the day
• Word of the Day
• Mapquest

News Gadgets

• CNN - Top Stories
• Fox News - Top Stories
• Google's Top Stories
• USA Today - Top Stories
• USA Today - Life
• USA Today - Tech
• Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) - Most popular stories of the day
• Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) - Markets
• Wall Street Journal (wsj.com) - Media and Marketing
• Wired Top Stories

iGoogle provides flexibility so you can create new tabs and modify the layout by dragging and dropping each gadget to your preferred location on the page. You can even create your own gadgets. If you're a google-aholic like me, then you want to check this out. To learn more, visit iGoogle Info.

What's on your iGoogle?

Lessons From Little League - Part 2 of 2

There are two very talented players on my twelve year-old son's Little League team that have not yet learned the concept of teamwork.

If the slightest thing doesn't go their way they stomp there feet, throw things, swear, and simply checkout of the game. Morale drops, everyone walks on eggshells, unnecessary mistakes are made, and the whole team and game suffers as a result.

Granted they're still young and have a lot to learn, but as I sit and watch their antics, no one (parents and coaches included) address their behavior and the cycle repeats itself from one game to the next. The lessons we learn at an early age define our character and behavior later on as adults.

So what happens to kids like this who don't learn one of the most fundamental lessons of life...they grow up and work in your office. They spoil the teams morale and performance, they squash creativity and innovation, and they're not willing to put aside their own ego to help the team succeed. Talent is irrelevant if the whole team and organization suffers as a result of their behavior.

If you have someone like this in your office, its time to have a serious chat with that person. Coach them as best you can and give them every opportunity to change their behavior and become part of the team. If they choose not to step up to the plate, it's time to hand in the uniform.